Question: I sometimes get very deep spiritually and poke
myself with a sharp object. I feel the pain in my hands and then I feel
an extreme sense of relaxation and comfort afterwards. Before I do this
I tell Jesus that my pain is given to him and that I wish to suffer like
him, and to bear my cross in his name.

Answer: I am very concerned about you hurting yourself. Not for one moment do I doubt your love and
zeal for Jesus Christ, yet I think that the way you go about to show
that love is misplaced.

There is enough suffering in this world, and you will surely get your
share of hardships, problems, pain, suffering, disease and afflictions.
Why would you add self-inflicted suffering? Do you think perhaps that
the Lord is pleased with your personal form of flagellation?

To suffer in your labors, or to suffer persecution and to bear
illness with patience is commendable and pleasing to the Lord. Though
suffering is bad in itself (it is a curse that results from the Fall of
man into sin), yet God by His wise providence can and does use it for
our benefit - to learn patience, to learn His Word more profoundly, to
sympathize with the poor and needy, to trust more fully in Him and to
hope for heaven. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I
may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:71). “When you do good and
suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (1
Peter 2:20).

It is noble to receive suffering from God’s hands, but why inflict
unnecessary pain on yourself? Nowhere does the Bible tell us to do such
a thing. To bear the cross daily certainly does not mean that! Jesus
himself explains that bearing the cross means “denying” oneself –
saying no to our sinful desires, in order to follow Him, to be obedient
to His commandments.

The idea that one could hurt himself to gain some spiritual
benefit was already present very early in the Christian church. Even in
apostolic times we find the introduction of this practice. The apostle
Paul addresses the issue in his letter to the Colossians:

“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of
the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves
to regulations— 'Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,' which all
concern things which perish with the using—according to the
commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an
appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and
neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the
flesh” (Colossians 2:20-23).

The apostle Paul specifically mentions the “neglect of
the body” as part of this self-imposed religion, yet instead of
praising it, he denounces such a practice as worthless. No value
whatsoever may be found in it! God is not interested in the religion we
invent; He simply wants us to obey Him.

It is good to be zealous in religion, but zeal must be guided and
regulated by the Bible, the Word of God. I encourage you to turn
from a religion of human regulations. Instead, trust in Christ, to cleanse you
from all sin by His blood, and to lead you in the way of righteousness
by the teaching of His Word.

Copyright Dr Joe Mizzi.
Permission to copy and distribute this article without textual changes. <
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